


My Rival, The Strongest

by YaGirlJuniper



Series: Juniper's Touhou Fan Canon [1]
Category: Touhou Project
Genre: Arguing, Friends to Rivals, Gen, Growing Up Together, Ice Powers, Misunderstandings, Origin Story, Pre-Canon, References to Canon, Rivalry
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-25
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-16 05:00:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,067
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29695395
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YaGirlJuniper/pseuds/YaGirlJuniper
Summary: A white fairy flies past, and a little blue ice fairy's life is changed forever. Wow. She must be the strongest thing there is.That settles it then! It's time to get stronger! If a fairy that little could get so strong, then she could get even stronger! Too easy!This is a story that walks through the lives of Cirno and Lily White since before they even had their names, the story of how they met, how they found their callings together, and how they became rivals so bitter they fought nine times during the Great Fairy Wars, almost as much as the trio. A story of how Cirno got strong, and how Lily learned to respect her.
Relationships: Cirno & Lily White (Touhou Project)
Series: Juniper's Touhou Fan Canon [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1320842
Kudos: 10





	1. I, Small Fry

“Waaaah~!”

The other fairies all mercilessly laughed, all of them so much bigger. Scarier. The little blue ice fairy cried and cowered, ducking and hiding her face against a tree. She'd beg them to stop if she could, but she couldn't talk. Only cry.

“Oh my gosh you're _right!_ She's scared of _everything!”_

“Everything.”

They dressed in black! And had _piercings!_ Who did that but the worst tough girls in wherever-this-was!?

Scary.

“This is literally just a mask with a happy face on it, I cannot believe she’s crying.”

Was that not supposed to be scary? Now she felt worse. “Aaaaaaaaaa…!!”

The big scary bullies laughed again. “Wow. I have seen some weaklings in my time, but this one is something special.”

“Aren’t the little fairies supposed to be fearless?”

“I kinda feel bad for her. It’s like she’s one step ahead but two steps behind.”

A loud whoosh from above. The blue fairy looked up and saw another little fairy go flying past. Oh no! Didn’t she know the danger!?

Of course not. It felt like nobody knew the danger but her.

Curse that knowledge, it was nothing but trouble.

“Dibs.”

The biggest one there pushed and stopped her. “Don't mess with that one, she’s way stronger than she looks.”

“Oh you _know_ that one?”

“Yeah, she seems all cute and nice but if she gets too worked up she’s _dangerous._ That small fry’s stronger than us three put together, and she can't even talk yet. She’s gonna be a _menace_ someday.”

The ice fairy perked up, intrigued. They weren't picking on her!? But she was so little! Just as little as her!

It's because she was strong.

She clenched her little fist. That was it. She had to get stronger. It could be done. That other little fairy was proof.

Maybe she could help her.

Maybe they could be friends.

Then she'd never be afraid of anything ever again.

Determined now, she flew after.

“Uh-oh, she’s gotten brave.”

“Don't get your butt kicked~!” One bully jeered, which made the others laugh.

She gulped, but kept on flying. This was her only chance. The little fairy didn't seem mean, she seemed nice, and as long as she wasn't mean to her first, she wouldn’t get her butt kicked.

Probably.

She gulped again.

She saw the fairy land and she could finally get a good look at her. Blonde hair, pink petal-shaped wings, a peaked cap, and a white dress with some spots at the edges. She’d landed near a flower that looked just like her.

That flower was really pretty.

So pretty.

The little ice fairy forgot what she had gone to get her for.

Oh well. They could look at this flower together.

She landed beside her and did just that. “Ohh?” She hoped that made sense. She couldn’t talk, not yet, but she was trying.

The other fairy turned to her and smiled, and gave a happy giggle.

She was nice after all. What a relief. They looked at the flower together.

“Aaaaaaa.”

It was so pretty.

A tap on her shoulder. She looked and saw the white fairy winking.

“Oh?”

The white fairy swept out her hands and twirled and flowers started blooming all around them.

“Ohhhhhhhhhhh!!” Little hands clenched, eyes sparkling, agape. The little white fairy had a gift, and the blue fairy was amazed. She could make the world pretty.

So pretty.

The blue fairy tossed out her arms, so excited. “Waaaaa!!”

The white fairy giggled. It seemed she’d made a friend.

But wait! That’s right! The blue fairy had a gift too! A special gift like no other fairy she’d ever met before!

She had to see it! She’d be so impressed!

So she winked too, then the blue fairy tossed her arms up and everything got super-duper cold.

The white fairy shivered.

It was working!

Wait til she saw THIS!

The blue fairy spun around as fast as she could, a whirling tornado, and snow scattered in every direction until the trees and flowers were covered and frozen over.

The white fairy, too.

The blue fairy stopped and her eyes spun like little swirls as the world kept spinning without her. “Aaaaaaaaaaa…” She staggered and stumbled, but stayed on her feet. All right! She did it this time!

The white fairy shook off the snow and shivered, teeth chattering. “Achoo!” She didn’t look very happy anymore.

Oh… did she not like the cold?

Nobody did…

Suddenly, the white fairy gasped. Her flower was buried in snow, barely poking out anymore. She dug it out quick, but it was frozen stiff and solid. She tried to poke its petals, but rather than bending, it snapped off and broke.

Another gasp.

Then the white fairy started to cry.

Oh no…

It seemed like nothing liked the cold…

The little blue fairy started to cry too. No one liked her.

“RRRRRRRRRRRRH!” The white fairy turned with a growl.

The blue fairy gasped, hands up to stop what she thought might be a swinging fist. “A—a—a—”

The white fairy’s growl was deeper this time. “Rnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnh!!” She held her hands out in front of her and magic started to gather and crackle.

Was she going to shoot her!? That seemed like a bit much! It was an accident! Didn’t she understand!?

The blue fairy started to cry again. “Uuuuuuuuuuuuuu…!”

The white fairy’s hands swiped aside and magic crackled in both.

“Aa!!” She was going to shoot her twice!? Wasn’t that cheating!? It had to be cheating!

She backed up, slowly at first, and then the white fairy swung her hands forward and a cascade of bullets showered from the sides and closed in.

“WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!” THAT WAS WAY MORE THAN TWICE!! “AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!” The blue fairy wailed and fled as fast as she could, magic whizzing past her so close she could feel the heat and blasting everything around her.

Why was everyone so mean!?

Even the nice people were mean!

She zoomed past the bullies. No time to warn them now. Not that she could talk.

“Uh-oh, looks like she didn’t make a friend!”

They laughed.

Until the white fairy came and started shooting.

“Wait—WAIT— ** _WAIT!!”_**

She didn’t wait. She blew them away just for being there too. No mercy, not even for the bystanders, it seemed.

The white fairy panted hard.

It all made her so angry. She just didn’t get it.

Why would she freeze all the flowers!?

Sure, flowers like lilies and tulips needed it cold in the winter to flower properly… but it wasn’t winter! It was Spring! Winter had been cold, and now it was time for flowers!

They’d been sleeping so long through the winter, only to get frozen again!

How would she feel if that happened!?

Did she think she was helping!?

What a dummy!

It wasn’t time for snow! Didn’t she know it was Spring!?

Maybe that was it.

Maybe she wasn’t alone.

Maybe people needed to know it was Spring.

She angrily shouted, “Sprii—n! Sprii—n!!”

She almost had it! Just a little harder!

**_“IS’S SPRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINH!!”_ **

Then as though all the plants in the area heard her call and agreed, flowers bloomed all around, trees grew full and healthy, and the air got just a little warmer.

The white fairy gasped. Did the plants need to know too!?

Then she had to get to work, or they might miss Spring!

She frantically ran and took off. “IT’S SPRIIIIIIIIIIIINH!”

Every time she shouted more flowers came to life.

She liked this feeling. Happier this time. “IT’S SPRIIIIIIIIIIIING!” Ooh, that was a good one.

The flowers agreed, and they bloomed as far as the eye could see.

This was a rush like nothing she’d ever felt.

This was power.

 _Her_ power.

She’d known she was strong, but she’d never known how to turn that power into something that made the flowers bloom.

Now she could.

She felt like a GOD.

She giggled, so giddy.

 _Too_ giddy.

She wanted to tell the world it was Spring.

**_“IT’S SPRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING!!”_ **

This was better than anything she’d ever done. She felt like she’d found her calling.

“It’s Spriiing! It’s Spriiing! It’s Spriiing!”

As her shouts grew distant, the ice fairy popped out from under a conspicuous pile of snow on the ground. Too close.

She looked at what remained of the bullies. They weren’t moving.

Were they _dead!?_

They’d be fine, they were fairies…

But _were_ they!? Sure they were mean, but they weren’t part of this! They’d only been there! Didn’t she understand how extreme that was!?

How scary…

Maybe that’s just how it was though. The strong could do whatever they wanted. They didn’t have to care how mean they were being. Who would stop them?

But…

Wait…

Couldn’t these bullies have dodged her bullets too?

Why didn’t they? Weren’t they stronger than her?

_‘I’ve seen a lot of weaklings in my time, but this one is something special.’_

She smirked.

She’d misunderstood.

They could tell she was stronger than they were. That’s why they never did anything but scare her.

“Hmph!”

She stood tall, feet apart, and puffed out her chest.

But she couldn’t get ahead of herself. She had to practice. She wasn’t _that_ strong. She couldn’t shoot more than one bullet a time, not like that white fairy.

Not yet.

But she _was_ something special! She had it in her! Maybe someday she would be the strongest there was!

And she would never be scared of anything ever again!

That’s how fear worked, right?

It had to be, or she would just be scared of everything forever no matter what she did! That was unpossible.

Right?

Yeah.

She would be big and strong.

They would fear _her._

And they would be sorry they’d ever crossed the mighty—

Right. She didn’t have a name.

What to name herself?

It had to be something cold. Something befitting the terror one felt when the cold swept in.

Something that made people run and scream ~~like she did~~.

Her imagination went wild imagining their screams.

_‘Aaaaaaah!’_

_‘Somebody save us!’_

_‘So cold!!’_

_‘Oh god, the chills!’_

_‘Noooooooo!’_

“Hahahahahahaha. Chi… nooo…”

Did she say that out loud? Oops.

Oh well. No one here to listen but the corpses. They wouldn’t make fun of her. They were dead.

Wait a second! SHE COULD TALK!!

“Heheeeee!!” She was so excited. “Chi’u! Nooo! Hehee~” She happily giggled. “Chiru! Nooo! Hehehehehehe~!”

That was fun.

Why was she saying that again?

Oh, right! Her name! That was her name!

“Chiru-no!”

She wandered off, practicing that to herself, each time getting a little bit faster. “Chiru-no! Chiru-no! Chiruno! Chiruno! Chirno!”

Yes. One day these fools would dread the approach of Cirno, for she was The Strongest there was.

Wasn’t there an h there in her name a second ago?

Oh well. It looked better this way. She’d definitely remember to pronounce that h, she didn’t need to write it down.

Which was good. She couldn’t write.

Not yet.

She devilishly rubbed her hands together. She’d conquer reading and writing too, someday. “Heh heh heh heh heh heh heh!”

Too easy!

“Too eajy!”

That’s right! Like nothing at all!


	2. A Matter of Kindness

“It’s Spriiing! It’s Spriiing!”

The white fairy had grown. No longer as small as a toddler, she was as big as a growing child now. She had a clear, high voice that reached as far as the eye could see, honed with practice, loud enough that she couldn’t seem to speak below a shout. Her white dress and peaked hat now bore a jagged red zig-zag on the white, and instead of frills, everything bore pointed fringe. To her, that symbolized that beneath her pure and warm exterior were prickly thorns, just like a rose, which wouldn’t hurt you if you were gentle. She was proud of that, and of her name as well.

リリーホワイト  
 **Lily White  
** _The Fairy Herald of Spring  
_ _(she/fae, likes them both lots)_

Fae flew along the river that flowed into Misty Lake, under the shade of the trees, calling out to everything she passed.

“It's Spriiing!”

That never got old. She’d shout that all year long if she could.

She wished every day was Spring.

“It's—”

**_SHFFK!_ **

What was that!?

 ** _“Got ‘er!”_** Cirno gleefully cheered, a frozen frog in hand. She'd grown too by just as much, and yet, she still had the voice of a baby. She didn’t have much use for shoes or socks, since she liked to play knee-deep in the water. She’d gotten so much stronger since last we saw her, and what did she do with that power? Play with the frogs.

By freezing them solid.

チルノ  
 **Cirno**  
 _The Fairy of Ice  
(she/her)_

Lily was aghast at what Cirno’d done. Didn't she understand that being cold hurt!? More importantly, why was she freezing things!? It was Spring! It wasn’t time for that! Didn't she hear her!?

Maybe she hadn’t. She couldn't just yell at her, she might be deaf or hard of hearing, or maybe she just didn’t know what Spring meant.

What a mortifying thought, to make a mistake like that. It hurt to think of the times she'd lost her temper at someone who had only made an honest mistake.

If she made that mistake again, everyone would surely hate her and never forgive her.

And she’d deserve it.

Lily flew down and landed on a flat rock near the shore. Didn't want to get her dress wet, or her boots dirty.

She quietly cleared her throat. “Um…”

A flutter of flapping wings from above. Lily jumped and looked up and saw a murder of ravens lining up in the trees.

Symbols of death and misfortune.

A bad omen.

Superstition, perhaps, but as a fairy, she was _made_ of superstition. It made no sense to disbelieve that this had a meaning.

But it was rude to keep someone waiting! “Sorry, I—” Fae looked to Cirno and saw she hadn’t budged. Thank goodness. “Hi, um…” Cirno still didn't seem to notice. “Hello?” She leaned over and waved. “Excuse me~”

Cirno looked, then stood up and smiled. “Hey, it’s you! The “It's Spring” fairy! I think this might be the first time we talked! You see that just now?”

Lily mournfully nodded. “I did.” So she HAD heard her.

Cirno proudly stood one foot atop a rock in the middle of the river and held up the frogsicle she’d made. “Lucky you got here when you did, I got this one juuust right. Now we can watch her thaw and she’ll be fine in no time.”

“Um…” Did she not understand?

Cirno walked to the shore and set the frozen frog down next to a lineup of others, some beginning to thaw. “Got a name?”

Lily gaped in horror at the trophies and slowly tried to nod. “—I do. W-why a—”

Cirno set her hands on her hips. “Cool! What is it?” She tilted her head with a smile.

Lily sighed. She was so friendly, fae might as well be friendly back. Besides… “I’d love to, actually!” She was dying to tell someone all about her name. She happily smiled and clapped her hands and said, “Lily White, Fairy Herald of Spring.”

Cirno smiled. “I li—!"

Lily excitedly continued, “I don’t know if you knew this, but my name actually is an English metaphor that references the color of purity and innocence embodied by white lilies—flowers, which in certain human cultures are symbolic of…”

“Uh huh…” Cirno nodded as Lily continued, but she was lost and starting to feel self-conscious. Lily had such a pretty name with depth and even _culture_ behind it. She’d known she was strong, but she was so much more. She was sophisticated. She was _smart._ She was _so pretty,_ and her smile was angelic.

Fae was everything Cirno wasn’t.

It almost wasn’t fair.

It wasn't faer fault though. She didn't hold it against her. That wouldn't be fair either, and Cirno was always fair.

One day, _she’d_ be The Strongest, and then she’d make sure that _everyone_ had to be fair. By _force_ , if—

Lily bashfully twisted faer arms in a knot. “You’re actually one of the first people I’ve ever told my name to, I spent way too long thinking it up—so what do you think?” She said as she beamed.

 _Oh fudge, I wasn’t listening._ She jumbled around like dice in a shaken cup. “Uh—uh—I—uh—it’s great! I like it! It’s really pretty!”

Lily lit up. “Really!?”

“Yeah, I like it!” Cirno was happy and sincere as can be. “It’s uh—” _what’s a good compliment?_ “—it-it’s got stuff I can’t pronounce! It’s great!" _Nailed it!_

Lily’s smile weakened and faer wings began to droop. “…oh.” She tried to perk up. “Wh-what parts…did you need…help with…?”

Cirno’s eyes trailed off and she waved a half-shrug around. “Welllllll, I—can’t…” shoulders bobbed, “… _pronounce_ ‘em, so…" She tried to smile, but it was crooked.

Lily nodded. “Mm.” Fae wilted like a flower without any sun. _She hates it…_

Cirno could see her wilting and worried it might have been something she said. “Is somethin’ the matter…?”

Lily weakly shook her head. “No, no, it’s not you, it’s me.” _Everyone must think I’m annoying and now they’re going to think I’m stuck-up and arrogant. I just wanted everyone to like me…_

“Are you sure?” Cirno grimaced and pulled back a shrug and then gestured it forward. “Cuz it’s _usually_ me.”

Lily perked up, now curious. “Wh—”

 _“Please_ don’t make fun ‘a me.” Cirno smacked her hands together as though desperately praying.

Fae tilted faer head. “Why would I do that?”

Cirno wilted, wings, ribbon, and all. “Everyone does aventurally…” it felt like a gloomy cloud had cast a shadow over just the spot she was standing, “ _maybe_ one or two don’t… but I’m not sure… I usually find out later on that they were…”

Faer lips hung apart. Why would they do that to her!? She was so nice! Lily gently but firmly sighed. “I won’t make fun of you.”

Cirno cautiously smiled. “Thanks.”

“What’s _your_ name, if you don’t mind me asking?” Lily asked with a smile that lit up the world.

Cirno locked up. Lily had explained the meaning behind faer name and now she was worried she’d have to do that too. She’d done that before and people had laughed. She couldn’t bear to face that again, not even a little bit.

Lily leaned over and tilted her head. “Do you have one? No shame if you don’t, I completely understand the decision to wait.”

Cirno’s gaze wandered off and she rubbed the back of her neck. “Uhhhhh, yeah, I got a name. I’m Cirno, the ice fairy.” She shrugged like what she was about to say didn’t make that big a difference but that difference mattered to her. “—I’m more of a _cold_ fairy, but I really like ice, y’know? Cuz ice is special. It’s—”

“That’s a beautiful name. _‘Chiruno.’”_ Fae rolled it off faer tongue.

Cirno’s grin was nervously twisting. “Uh, thanks, um, anyway, so most things when they get cold—"

“What language is it?”

Eyes shut. _Ohh no…_ More than just humiliated by the story she didn’t want to tell, it hurt that no one ever wanted to listen to her talk about ice.

“Is it Latin? One of its derivatives?”

Eyes open. Sweat. _Latin!?_ _Derivamatives!?_

“Italian, perhaps? It sure _sounds_ like it's from a romance language.”

Terror. **_Romance!?!?_** _I think we’re movin’ **way** too quick here, we just met!_

“Perhaps I’m looking in the wrong geographic location though, is it from an East Asian tongue? South Asian? One of the Indigenous American cultures?”

Cirno’s eyes darted off as she grimaced in fear. “Uhh, no, it’s English too, sorta.”

Lily tapped faer chin and looked at the sky. “Oh. Is it… Old English? Wait why is your name so short? Don’t fairies usually pick _two_ words and put them together to make their names? Where’s your _last_ name?”

Cirno cringed. She technically had one, but her name came from…

_‘The chill!’_

_‘Noooo!’_

Then she’d mispronounced those words and forgotten why she was saying them and just decided it was her name. She couldn’t tell her that, it was so lame it hurt, everyone said so. And she _liked_ her name, its origin be darned!

So she hardened and stood tall and puffed out her chest and pumped both her fists. “I ain’t got one! Last names are for stuck-up people with too many names!”

Lily winced and scrunched up and started to crack. “I respectfully disagree.”

Cirno whipped out her hands to smooth that over. “Uh, I—I don’t mean you, Lily, I mean more like…” eyes flicking. _What’s a kinda people nobody likes…_ “—stuffy people! You know what I mean, right?”

Lily tried to smile as fae nervously nodded. “Yeah. Yeah. Pretentious people.”

“Uh—uh—right!” _I dunno what that means._

Fae sank. “Who read poetry…”

“Y—yeah, sure!” _What's poetry?_

Fae wilted and faer voice began to crack. “Who learn foreign languages and pore through imported books for years trying to get the perfect name…”

“Well I mean I ain't got nothin against learnin’ stuff, but if you pour through that many books, that's pretty bad.” _Poor books, they don’t like to get wet._

Lily nodded, unable to open her eyes. “Yeah… People like that are the worst...” fae sorrowfully croaked, trying to hold a smile, but fae had _visibly_ withered, bending near enough to touch her toes.

Cirno’s eyes worriedly widened. “…did I say somethin’ bad?” Cirno desperately hoped that she hadn’t, she was just trying to be nice.

Lily shook her head. “No no, not at all… my head is just being silly again…”

“Your head looks pretty normal to me.” Cirno balked. “Or… did you mean somethin’ else?”

Lily whimpered, heart skipping a beat.

Cirno hung her head and sighed in shame. “Cuz people think my head’s pretty silly too.”

Lily gasped, and began to perk up. “Personal question, and I mean this in the nicest way I can, but… are you a little special?”

Cirno reclined and merrily smiled. “Oh, yeah, I’m all kindsa special! Everyone tells me so!”

Lily quietly gasped with a growing smile. _She must be trying just as hard as I._ “I can tell,” she said as sweetly as could be.

Cirno blushed and giggled. “Heehee~ thanks!”

Lily beamed a happy grin. _This isn’t a bad thing, even if bad people think so._

Hands behind her back, Cirno smiled and ground her foot into the dirt. “Well, I’m not as special as you tho, let’s be honest.”

“Ahahaha!” Lily blushed and covered her eyes and faer wings wrapped around her shoulders and tried to help. “You’re sweet.”

Cirno casually shrugged. “I try.”

Lily’s fingers bent as she poked them together. “I _am_ actually a little bit special in my own way, I must admit, so it's quite a joy to meet someone like myself.”

Cirno blushed and covered her cheeks. “Aww, you're too nice to me, Lily. I'm so glad I met you too.”

Lily blushed. _I was so worried, but I made a friend after all._

“You wanna freeze frogs with me?”

A nervous frown. _Oh no._ “Actually—”

“Oh, right, you can’t!” Cirno papped her own head. _“Aw,_ _I’m such a dummy._ You wanna watch tho? Do somethin’ else?”

They’d been getting along. Lily was so scared that it was all about to go up in smoke if she didn’t handle this just right. She didn’t want to impose, but…

It's Spring.

_We’re friends now, let it go._

She didn’t _want_ to let it go.

_Let it go._

She'd let it go if she had a good reason. “Why _are_ you freezing the frogs?”

Cirno shrugged. “I dunno, it’s fun tho, and it helps me stay in shape.” She flexed her little arm, but nothing bulged at all, though she admiringly smiled like it was larger than her head.

Lily sighed, massaging her sinuses. _How do I put this as gently as I can?_

Cirno raised a finger as though she remembered. “It takes some finessering. If ya do it just right they come out of it okay, you can’t just go hard or they’ll shatter to bits.”

Lily sickened and paled. **_“—What!?”_**

Cirno flinched and picked her ear as it rang from the punch of Lily’s voice. “Yeah, it’s pretty bad,” Cirno’s face apologetically twisted as she nodded, “you hate to see it.” Then she smiled, hands sweeping up to the trees. “The crows like it, tho! That’s why they’s always hangin’ out.”

Lily looked up with dread and saw a dozen or more ravens now gathered and screaming. _That’s why._ _If there are this many then this must regularly be the site of a massacre._

“I hate to mess it up, but even if I do, they get a nice chunky dinner!” Cirno said, happily rubbing her tummy.

 _“Uhp—”_ Lily tightly covered her mouth and felt her lunch coming up.

Cirno rubbed her little chin and tried to think. “Well it’s frozen tho, so maybe it’s dessert. Do crows eat dessert?”

Lily doubled over, coughing and gagging into faer hand.

Cirno gasped. _Shoot! I thought she was stronger than that!_ “—I’m sorry, is that too much!?”

Panting hard through her nose, Lily swallowed everything back down before it finished coming up, but that felt so disgusting it almost came up again. “You should stop.”

Cirno covered her eyes. “I’m so sorry. I shoulda asked if you—”

Lily got up and glared. “No no, I mean, _stop.”_

Cirno stared. She _couldn’t_ mean what she thought she meant, could she? “You mean, like… stop freezing frogs at all?”

Lily delicately smiled, clasped faer hands, rocking out and then in again like she was heaving an invisible sack from her side to her front. “If you would be so kind.”

Cirno gasped and clutched at pearls that weren’t there. “But this is my favorite thingy in the whole wide world!”

Lily’s volume began to rise and faer smile grew harsher. “—Well, maybe it’s time to get a _new_ hobby!”

Cirno stomped her foot and protested. “I don’t WANT a new hobby, I _like_ this one! I’m good at it!”

Lily slowly settled faer hands toward the ground, motioning for her to calm down. “I understand that this is hard to hear for many reasons, but you are still playing with the lives of living creatures.”

Cirno scoffed with a shrug. “So what!?”

Lily firmly frowned and stepped into her space. “They’re not like us, Cirno! We don’t die when we’re killed! They do, and they don’t come back!”

Cirno pushed back. **“Didn’t you listen!? The whole point is that they _don’t_ die when I freeze ‘em! If I do it right, they come out just fine! That’s why I gots to practice, so I never do it wrong again!”**

Unfazed, Lily stood firm with hands on faer hips. “Even the best have bad days. No one can ever be perfect. No matter how good you get, there will always be a chance that things can go wrong.”

Cirno turned away scowling, then bent down to watch as one of her frogs unfroze and began to stir. “We’ll see.”

Lily marched over behind the frozen lineup to stay in her line of sight. “This isn’t just a matter of life and death, it’s a matter of kindness!”

Cirno bitterly shook her head. “Ain’t no one gives _me_ any kindness, how come I gotta give everyone kindness? It don’t make ‘em not hurt you.”

“Have the frogs ever hurt you, or are you just a bully yourself?”

Cirno furiously pouted, lips hardened with the texture of a rock. “I ain’t no bully.”

Fae pointed at them. “How do you think _they_ feel about being frozen? You think that’s fun for them?”

Cirno laughed in disbelief. “Oho, you like the frogs too, huh!? You want one!?” She snatched up the unfrozen frog as it started to hop away and held it out to Lily.

Lily recoiled and shuddered in fearful disgust, “Y’wAaah!”

“Hmh.” Cirno smirked. “You don’t like the frogs at all, you just like to tell people what to do.”

Lily staggered and stammered. “—Th-that’s not true! I might not want to touch them, but at least I care about their lives!”

“Do you care about the frogs like I do? I ain’t met no frog fairies, so don’t think nobody does.” Cirno pet the frog with the back of her finger, watching it as she spoke. “I like frogs, but I know people don’t. Even in them stories when the frog is a prince, the frog’s only there to be somethin’ no one wants to hug or kiss. That’s so sad. Everyone thinks they’re slimy and ugly, but I think they’re cute. I know what it’s like when nobody likes you.” She glanced up at Lily. “Do you like the cold, Lily?”

Lily stood petrified at the question. “—uh… well… it’s not that I _hate_ —uh, well—it’s—” But she stopped and slowly began to sink, unable to look her in the eye.

Cirno sadly sighed. “Nobody does.”

Lily sighed out every drop of breath she had and let her eyes close. Guilty as it made her feel, she _did_ hate the cold, it hurt too much. That’s the entire reason she landed and was fighting with her right now. Nothing deserved to feel that way, she’d thought.

She never considered how the cold must feel for no one to want you.

Cirno continued, “The frogs don’t mind it so much tho, long as I’m careful.” Lily’s eyes jolted open as she listened. “Maybe I’m just hopin’ too much, but I feel like they get me too.” She cradled the frog and poked it and made a kissing sound with her lips. “I don’t wanna hurt ‘em neither.”

**_SHFFK!_ **

Perfectly frozen.

“It’s always sad when I do it wrong, but them crows is just gonna eat ‘em anyway.” Cirno mournfully gazed through the ice at the frog encased. “They’re safe inside the ice ‘til then.”

Lily sighed and trailed away, the fire in her eyes going out.

But a single ember flickered back to life.

“It’s not that no one likes the cold, Cirno. It’s Spring. Everyone who does like the cold is asleep right now. People bully me too when I’m out and about when it’s not Spring, because when it’s not time for Spring I can’t just keep pulling it out, it has to go to bed while the other seasons play. I go to sleep too, and when I can’t fall asleep, I read—” she stopped herself, “and… stuff. So if it’s safe inside the ice, how come _you’re_ not in there right now? I’m sure it would be much more comfortable than this.”

“I do when I’m sad,” Cirno cuddled the icy frog against her cheek, “but if you hide in the ice your whole life, you might be safe, but that’s not livin’ at all. You miss out on so much. I still got _some_ friends, and they don’t come out to play in winter, they go to sleep like you. I’d never see ‘em again if I just went to bed the whole time.” Cirno shrugged. “‘sides, I can’t sleep that long, it’s too boring.”

Lily sighed, loosely nodding. Fae sometimes wished fae didn’t have to hibernate either, and if Cirno did have friends, it wouldn’t be fair to ask that of her. _Pointless. I should have just let it go. Now I wonder if she even still wants to be my friend at all. **Stupid,** Lily, just the heck shut up._

Cirno sighed too, staring at the frog. “You got a point tho.”

Lily stood up in shock.

Cirno hugged and cradled the icy frog. “Tell you what, I’ll met you halfway. If I stop freezin’ frogs, what do you think I should freeze instead?”

“Well…” A finger on her chin, Lily looked up in search of an answer. “Couldn't you do something _besides_ freeze things?”

Cirno shook her head. “No. I gotta freeze stuff or I can't get stronger.”

“Is that important to you?”

Cirno nodded. “Even if people make fun of me, if I’m strong I can teach ‘em a lesson.” She punched into her palm. “Ya sock someone in the nose enough times, they don’t mess with you no more. Bein’ nice don’t do nothin’ but make ‘em laugh even harder.”

Lily knew that to be true. Fae had so much to say about that, but fae’d said enough. Fae’d already taken her hobby, it wouldn’t be right to take away her ambitions as well.

It was lonely at the top.

But now was not the time.

Another flicker lit up faer eyes. “Okay! Tell you what. Freeze anything you want that won’t die if it’s frozen.” Lily whipped a stern finger. “That includes the flowers and plants, okay?”

Cirno sighed and nodded. “Okay, I guess I’m good with that.”

“Great!” Lily pat her shoulder. “I’m so sorry to have to wreck your happy day like that.”

Cirno dismissively tossed her hand. “Ah, don’t worry about it. I gotta go figure out what that is tho, so I’ll catch ya later.”

“Okay! Good luck! Happy Spring!” With a beat her wings, Lily took off and smiled. _Well! I managed to do it after all. I’m not sure what she’s allowed to freeze now either, but I’m sure she’ll figure it out._

_Now then…_

“It’s Spriiing!” Lily shouted, fading into the distance again.

But back on the riverbank, Cirno was already bored. These were the last frogs she’d ever get to freeze, so she might as well watch them thaw.

Normally she’d be searching for others to pass the time until it happened, but…

_Sigh._

This was boring.

She clutched at her head and knocked on it gently. “Think, brain, think!”

_I’m no good at that._

“Well you’re all I got, so do it anyway!”

_Okay, but don’t blame me if this ends up bad again._

“You’re doin’ great, hon! Now what’s a thingy that won’t die if I freeze it?”

_Fallen leaves?_

Fist pumped in the air. “Perfect! They’s already gonna die, so it’s no~ problem!”

She skipped around and searched and hunted and froze every fallen leaf she could find. She chanted in a beat each time she moved on, “Too easy! You’re just a leaf! Toooo! Easy!”

But it _was_ too easy. This didn’t any take skill at all. That was no fun. After a minute or two, it was more frustrating to have to find more leaves than it was fun to freeze them.

“I know!”

She tried freezing the river, but the ice on the surface would just flow downstream where it would break and melt again. She tried even harder, but even when she froze an entire section of the river at once, new water would just flow overtop it.

She stopped, remembering that she’d done this before. If she kept it up, it would block the river… and the river would flood and she’d be too tired to finish. That was sure to get her in trouble with the Hakurei Shrine Maiden. She was strong now, but not _that_ strong.

Not yet.

Wellp, plan C.

D?

D. Yeah. Maybe.

She flew off toward the mountain and found the biggest rock she could find and froze it too.

But…

“You’re just a rock. Too easy,” she listlessly mumbled, not even bothering with a rhythm. “What even changed about you? You were already frozen.” She dejectedly sighed, “Haaaa… I’m gonna miss you, little froggies, but she’s right.”

_‘They’re not like us, Cirno. We don’t die when we’re killed. They do, and they don’t come back.’_

Cirno gasped, and her eyes shot open.

_‘We don’t die when we’re killed.’_

Cirno’s grin was so chilling that if Spring had legs it would have tried to run. “You know, I think it’s time I moved up to stronger thingies anyway.” With low, grunting chuckles, she clenched her little fist, a growing shadow on her face. “Time to get my revenge on everyone that’s ever made fun of me.” Her hand clawed as it opened, and her blue eyes brightly glowed as a perfect ice crystal formed in it from nothing. **_“Everyone.”_**


End file.
